


in good times and in bad

by KrazySuperGirl



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Conversation Fic, Domestic, Future Fic, Health problems, Old Injuries, Slice of Life, Tim can’t cook, jason has a million kids and that is the hill I die on, jason is the new Alfred, rip Alfred, tim also has a kid but that’s for another fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:00:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29570691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KrazySuperGirl/pseuds/KrazySuperGirl
Summary: Their bodies ache far more than they don’t, and the world is changing around them as those younger than them take over their roles while they grow into roles their own elders have left behind.But this is the price of the lives they lead, and of growing old.
Relationships: Tim Drake & Jason Todd, Tim Drake/Kon-El | Conner Kent (hinted)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 68





	in good times and in bad

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a Future AU. It’s kind of half-connected to my Timkon fic, “just say you won’t let go”, but only marginally, and only at the end, which is far from being published, so yeah.

Tim finds Jason in the Manor kitchen, chopping a pile of onions and chicken pieces on a cutting board, and intermediately stirring a sauce that’s bubbling on the stove. He asks as he walks in, “Where are your kids?”

Jason turns and frowns at him. “What?”

_ “Are your hearing aids on?” _ Tim asks in sign language.

Jason makes a rude gesture that needs no translation. He’s a bit testy about his hearing aid implants, which he needs because his hearing has gotten bad over the years as a result of being around so many explosions and guns going off. Tim repeats his question in sign language instead.  _ “Where are your kids?” _

_ “I sent them over to Dick’s. My head is killing me.” _

Tim grimaces sympathetically. That’s another effect of age and their lifestyle: bad migraines because of the accumulated brain damage of multiple concussions.

Then Tim says,  _ “I thought Dick had a work thing?” _

...meaning Mar’i is the one babysitting them, not Dick.

But Jason doesn’t catch it because he’s turned away to add the onions and chicken to a pan and stir a boiling pot of noodles. Tim signs it again when he turns back around.

Jason groans and drags a hand down his face. Then he shakes his head.  _ “No. Nope. I am not dealing with that. I don’t care if they convince Mar’i to help them blow something up again. It’s Dick’s problem.” _

Tim raises an eyebrow.  _ “You mean like the last time, when they got  _ _ arrested _ _?” _

_ “It’s Dick’s problem.” _ Jason repeats. Then he notices Tim stealing a piece of olive from his cutting board. He slaps Tim’s hand away. “ _ Don’t you have a husband to cook for you?” _

_ “It’s my week to cook.” _ Tim says.

Jason says unsympathetically, “ _ Well if you want proper food, you should be a better cook.” _ He adds,  _ “I’m surprised he lets you cook in the first place.” _

_ “I’m trying to give him a break from cooking all the time.” _

_ “Yeah, we’ll see how long that lasts.” _

Tim gives him a flat look.  _ “I resent your implications.” _

Jason waves a hand at him dismissively, then asks, “ _ What are you doing here, anyways?” _

_ “I forgot my knee brace in the Cave the other night.” _ Tim answers.  _ “I came to get it.” _

Jason glances at Tim’s legs, where it’s clear he’s favouring his left side: an old injury that didn’t heal the way it was supposed to.

“ _ It’s acting up again?” _ Jason asks.

_ “Yes. Not too bad though.” _ Tim says. Then he asks,  _ “How’s Bruce?” _

Jason sighs.  _ “The same. He won’t admit there’s anything wrong.” _

Tim shakes his head. “ _ He really needs to get someone to look at his back.” _

_ “Yeah, but you know how he is. Have you heard from Damian?” _

Tim nods. “ _ He’s set to leave Somalia at...three o’clock eastern time. He’s staying here for a few days, then he’s off to Venezuela on Monday.” _

Jason shakes his head.  _ “That kid really needs to learn to take a break. He’s going to work himself to death.” _

_ “Yeah, but you know how he is.” _ Tim signs, echoing Jason’s words about Bruce. But he adds,  _ “He has Superboy looking out for him, though. He’ll be fine...probably.” _

“ _ I never would have expected…” _ Jason breaks off mid-sign to turn down the heat on the sauce and stir the frying meat and onions.  _ “...I never would have expected Damian of all people to be the one of us to start going around the world doing Doctors Without Borders type stuff.” _

_ “Well, his grandfather was trying to save the world, in his own way. It’s not like it’s surprising he’s trying to do something similar.” _

Jason gives him a look.  _ “Ra’s al Ghul was an ecoterrorist. Damian is a humanitarian. There’s a huge difference.” _

Tim shrugs.  _ “Close enough. Besides, running around the world trying to fix all its problems while also using that as a cover to take down League of Assassins bases wherever he goes? That sounds a lot like Bruce...without the ‘around the world’ part.” _

_ “I’m not convinced that the relief efforts are the cover.” _ Jason says.

Tim hums consideringly.  _ “Trust Damian to pick the one enemy he can’t fight with fists and batarangs.” _ Then he moves his hands to add something, but Jason holds up a finger.  _ One minute. _

Jason takes the pot of noodles off the stove and drains and rinses them, then puts them in a large bowl. When he faces Tim again, Tim is smirking, and he signs, “ _ I bet Damian learned it from you. You were the one to start those orphanages and shelters here in Gotham, after all.” _

Jason’s mouth opens as he raises his hands to deny it, but then he deflates. It’s probably true. He says instead,  _ “Well, it’s a good use for that doctorate he always used to brag that he got before he was eight.” _

Tim snorts. “ _ Sometimes I can’t believe how bratty he used to be.” _

_ “Oh, he’s still bratty. He just directs it at people who actually deserve it now.” _

But then Tim tries to steal from Jason’s cutting board again. This time, Jason stops him with a nerve strike that paralyzes Tim’s hand, while he gives his brother a glare.  _ “Stop it! Lee won’t eat anything if she knows anyone other than me touched the food.” _

Tim rubs at his wrist. Since it’s a bit hard to sign with only one hand, he speaks instead, “So don’t tell her.”

He knows Jason hates lip reading and prefers sign language, but it serves him right for nerve-striking his hand.

Jason snorts.  _ “Yeah, I’ll let you know how that goes.” _

Jason adds the olives and a few other vegetables to the pan, then he signs, not fully looking at Tim,  _ “Her and Isaac were looking at old videos of Robin the other day.” _

Tim doesn’t say anything for several moments. By the time he does, the nerve-strike paralysis to his hand has worn off, and he signs,  _ “Are you going to say yes?” _

Tim doesn’t need to clarify what question he’s talking about. There is only one significant question relating to Robin in this family.

_ “Over my dead body.”  _ Jason signs, instantly and vehemently.

Then he adds,  _ “But that doesn’t mean I want to have to tell them no.” _

Tim nods.

Jason turns off the stove, then pours the fried chicken and vegetables and the sauce over the noodles. He puts the dish in the oven to keep it warm, then starts pulling out baking ingredients. Then he asks, “ _ Cass was planning a drug bust. Did she tell you whether it’s for tonight?” _

_ “Yes, I saw her in the Cave earlier. She was fixing up the cowl. It got cracked somehow. She said something about a prank?” _

Jason purses his lips. The kids really shouldn’t be messing with the equipment. He’ll have to talk to them later.  _ “You’d think that thing would have been made indestructible by now.” _

_ “Apparently not.” _

_ “Do you know who else is going out tonight? I texted the group chat, but it seems we need to work on our response times.” _

Tim shakes his head.  _ “No. I know Steph is going out. She said something about “teaching the new girl the meaning of the name Batgirl”. But I don’t know about anyone else.” _

Jason gives him a look. “ _ You better not be going out tonight with that knee.”  _

Tim rolls his eyes.  _ “Yes, Alfred.” _

Then Ace III enters the kitchen, trotting up to Jason and looking pleadingly from the man to the counter where the smell of food is coming from. “No.” Jason says sternly.

He shoos the dog out of the kitchen, “Out, you mutt. Go bother Bruce.  _ He deserves it.” _

Tim says then, hearing the sound of people coming into the Manor, “ _ It sounds like your kids are back.” _

“Oh boy.” Jason mutters as visions of singed children and arrest warrants flash before his eyes. He puts his hands up to his ears, switches on his hearing aid implants and winces as the increase of noise makes his headache worse.

“Alright.” He says, making shooing motions towards Tim. “You too. Out of my kitchen. And try not to poison the poor fool who married you.”

He adds, “But if you poison my niece, I’m going to go dig out my guns.”

Tim makes a face as he leaves, returning Jason’s earlier rude gesture. Then he has to dodge to the side as three kids charge past him, all trying to speak over each other as soon as they see Jason.

“Lee won’t stop-“

“Lian was there, and we got to shoot-“

“Isaac! You’re not supposed to tell-“

“Why is there a parental lock on my-“

“And Uncle Dick said-“

“-don’t trust me!”

“Jesse won’t play trains with me, even though I said please and-“

Tim slips out the door silently, snickering as Jason tries to get them to speak one at a time, looking like he’s growing more white hairs by the second.

_ [or] _

[Tim makes a face, returning Jason’s earlier rude gesture as he leaves.

Then, on his way towards the door, he runs into the kids themselves, who look way too pleased with themselves to be innocent. Tim’s eyes land on Jesse, the oldest, who scowls, crosses his arms, and snaps, “What?”

Tim shakes his head then asks the three of them, “Did you have fun with Mar’i?”

Lee doesn’t make eye contact when she grins and says, “Yes. Very much.”

Isaac, who is holding her hand and bouncing energetically with what looks like a sugar high, says, “And Lian was there too! We got to shoot the-“

Lee nudges him. “Shush. You can’t tell him that. It’s a secret.”

“Well, try to take it easy on your father.” Tim says, amused.

“Stupid old man should just take his damn pain meds.” Jesse mutters as he stomps away towards the kitchen. Like father, like son.

Isaac follows, calling after him, “Jesse! Jesse! Jesse! Do you wanna play trains with me?”

Lee runs after them, yelling, “If you break my headphones again, I’m telling Aunt Babs!”]

**Author's Note:**

> Jason and Tim are barely even in their mid thirties. They’re really not that old, they’re just over dramatic Bats, and really, the stuff they get up to as vigilantes...that has to be hell on their bodies.
> 
> So Jason has kids! There’s Isaac, who Jason adopted as a baby, and who is not my character. He belongs to audreycritter and her series Cor Et Cerebrum. There’s Lee, who’s autistic, and it was her idea for the prank that cracked the cowl (and, not shown in this fic, covers Cass in green glitter paint). And there’s Jesse, the oldest, who is a former street kid and is constantly grumpy. Jason has more kids than just them in my head, but those are the kids he has at the time that the fic takes place.
> 
> Also, Cass is Batman, Steph is training new Batgirls, Dick is a single father raising Mar’i (and co-raising his siblings’s kids too), Jason is semi-retired, Bruce is retired and refusing to admit he’s getting old, Damian is doing humanitarian work with WE, and Tim is married with a kid. This is the kind of happy future AU i want for these kids.


End file.
